New York Musical Theatre Festival Set for September

According to Thomas Cott, artistic director of Musical Theatre Works, “New York is world-famous for its musicals so it’s the logical home for a festival like the NYMF, which will give the public an opportunity to see a diverse range of new musicals over a short period of time. Moreover, this is a terrific opportunity for new artists — and companies devoted to nurturing new artists — to bring their shows to an appreciative audience of theater lovers.”

Eighteen production-ready musicals will be selected for the festival as part of “The Next Link Project” by a jury of theater professionals including Gabriel Barre, Robyn Goodman, Kathleen Marshall, and Scott Schwartz. Those musicals will be presented in repertory in the theater district.

Other events included in the festival will be “The Movie Musical Screening Series,” which will feature up to 30 screenings of award-winning features, shorts, dance movies, and music videos during the week of September 20; a sneak preview of a new family musical by Stephen Schwartz; a series of concerts celebrating new musical theater artists; “The International Concert Series,” presenting works from other countries in their original languages; “The ASCAP-MAC Songwriter Showcase”; the “BMI Shorts Series,” featuring musicals written as part of the BMI Lehman Engel Program; “The Raw Impressions Radio Series” of new musicals written expressly for broadcast; the “Broadway USA!” program, a season of new musicals in concert; “Inside the Studio,” a mix of concerts, interviews, and master classes with a number of acclaimed Broadway authors; “The Midtown Cabaret Festival,” produced by the Midtown International Theatre Festival; and a series of new musicals from Great Britain, Canada, and Australia.

For more information about the festival or to apply to submit a show to “The Next Link Project,” visit www.nymf.org.